Hour 2: Paul Finebaum

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The NBA on ESPN is happening now, and opening week is on a new level.

Paul Finebaum (0:05)

Welcome to another season of the NBA on ESPN.

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New chapters begin in South Beach, and stars are out in LA. The king protects his new court.

NBA opening week, Wednesday and Thursday on ESPN.

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This is the Michael Kay Show podcast.

Michael Kay (0:34)

I gotta get more Kay.

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Listen live weekdays at 1 on the ESPN New York app and your smart speaker.

Michael Kay (0:41)

Welcome back to the show, everybody. 2 2 in New York City and the surrounding areas. The Michael Kay Show from 1 to 3 every single Monday through Friday.

And every Tuesday, we get a chance at this point to talk with Paul Finebaum, my colleague on ESPN. Paul, how are you doing?

Paul Finebaum (1:00)

Michael, I'm doing great and it's great to communicate again. I'm sorry it took the Yankees for leaving the scene, but I'm glad to talk to you.

Michael Kay (1:08)

I am glad to talk to you as well. This is the first time I'll have an opportunity to talk to you about the expanded college football playoffs.

What do you think? Too much? Too soon? What's your thoughts on it?

Paul Finebaum (1:20)

Yeah, it's probably too much, but it's happening. And there are a million arguments. The biggest argument against it has been it will affect the regular season, which in college football is different than any other sport. At Sacrosanct, you have games that matter more than almost anything else. Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama, Auburn, we had a couple of last weekend, Georgia, Auburn, Tennessee, Alabama, USC, Notre Dame when they played. But I don't think we're going to lose those. People inside college football still believe that those games are going to matter. I mean, I'm getting into your world, but Yankees, Red Sox matter regardless. Other matchups in Major League Baseball, the NBA still matter. So even though I've been reluctant to embrace it, I do think it's going to open the field for so many more clubs. You happen to get hot, you have a good season, you can talk about being in the playoff race. Can you imagine Rutgers if they actually had a good season? They could dream. But we're getting it next year, which is really interesting.

There won't be any conference championship games, which quite frankly isn't a bad thing. These games have become rather sluggish and proving absolutely. Like last year, Alabama lost to Georgia by 21 points. Next day, they get selected with three losses to the playoff. So it will be NFL-like, Michael. Wild cards will matter. First round buys will matter.

College football is professional football anyway.

Michael Kay (2:56)

It's interesting though, because a lot of people, we're singing the praises of last Saturday. What a great, great day in college football. There's a greatness of that day and some of the upsets.

Does it lose some of its lustre? Because you know, at the end of the day, 24 teams getting into the playoffs.

Paul Finebaum (3:14)

Yeah, but if you go back 15 years, 20 years, I mean, basically two teams played for the championship and then you had enhanced bowl games, which used to really matter. You and I remember that those days. I think we'll figure it out. I'm not an optimist. Everything is going to work. I mean, three years from now, they may say this is the end of college football, but I've heard that now over and over.

I was sitting on a desk Saturday morning on the SEC show and listening to Tim Tebow, one of the greatest players ever saying, we're going to ruin the college season. I'm thinking this guy who stood for everything is right and we're talking about a season where we just got finished talking about Arch Manning who's making $5 million a year. So, I mean, I think a lot of these barriers have already come down.

So, I think we'll adjust. I'm not usually a polyamon. You know me pretty well. But I think next year we'll start the season going, how do we get into the playoffs? Now, by the way, just because you make the playoffs, I think a lot of coaches think, well, that's good. I won't get fired. Well, I mean, call the Buffalo Bills and ask them how they felt last year after the playoffs. They fired the coach, of course.

Michael Kay (4:22)

It is interesting, though. You wonder, you know, everything, you know, when they say it's not about money, it's about money. Everything is a money grab. But is it also that teams do want to, you know, be able to put, you know, to their alums, well, we did make the playoffs, even though they have three losses.